1950s Browning 16 gauge

One of the things I like about the 16, is it cycles very fast.Im not thrilled about full choke, but I have made a few 70 yard shots.Close in, it misses cleanly, and I like that. I think it will be my main gun eventually.
 
Goosemaster said:
One of the things I like about the 16, is it cycles very fast.Im not thrilled about full choke, but I have made a few 70 yard shots.Close in, it misses cleanly, and I like that. I think it will be my main gun eventually.
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Your making it really hard to be on your team for this one goose.
 
Sorry, I'm late to the discussion. I am one who is not a fan of the A5 in general. I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however, I think that the A5s are really awful looking guns. I simply can't get past that hump back. I know that it is necessary for the movement of the barrel, but, to me it is just not very good looking. I have found those that I have handled to be overly heavy and not very dynamic for their gauges when compared to a svelte 20 ga. or 28 ga. Beretta A400. Honestly, a 12 gauge Beretta A400 feels more dynamic and responsive than a 12 ga. A5. The argument that I hear a lot is that they are all steel and wood and will modern auto loaders with alloy receivers and plastic parts be around in 100 years. Probably not, but, that does not take away the fact that the modern auto loaders are superior in design and function. And quite frankly in a hundred years there will be designs available that will be superior to our current modern autoloaders. This is all just my opinion and I guess I am intitled to it. Rant over, thank you all for allowing me on the soap box.
 
jpari said:
Sorry, I'm late to the discussion. I am one who is not a fan of the A5 in general. I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however, I think that the A5s are really awful looking guns. I simply can't get past that hump back. I know that it is necessary for the movement of the barrel, but, to me it is just not very good looking. I have found those that I have handled to be overly heavy and not very dynamic for their gauges when compared to a svelte 20 ga. or 28 ga. Beretta A400. Honestly, a 12 gauge Beretta A400 feels more dynamic and responsive than a 12 ga. A5. The argument that I hear a lot is that they are all steel and wood and will modern auto loaders with alloy receivers and plastic parts be around in 100 years. Probably not, but, that does not take away the fact that the modern auto loaders are superior in design and function. And quite frankly in a hundred years there will be designs available that will be superior to our current modern autoloaders. This is all just my opinion and I guess I am intitled to it. Rant over, thank you all for allowing me on the soap box.
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Not sure if anyone else has run into this but I was handed an a5 as a teenager because that’s what we had. Shot it until my mid 20’s because that’s what I had, then when I had some resources I began a quest for the next 15 years of trying to replace it. I’ve tried a lot of guns but at the end of the day it’s still the one that ends up in my hands, it just fits the eye. Now I just embrace the fact that I like it, bought several more with different chokes and gauges.
 
jpari said:
Sorry, I'm late to the discussion. I am one who is not a fan of the A5 in general. I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however, I think that the A5s are really awful looking guns. I simply can't get past that hump back. I know that it is necessary for the movement of the barrel, but, to me it is just not very good looking. I have found those that I have handled to be overly heavy and not very dynamic for their gauges when compared to a svelte 20 ga. or 28 ga. Beretta A400. Honestly, a 12 gauge Beretta A400 feels more dynamic and responsive than a 12 ga. A5. The argument that I hear a lot is that they are all steel and wood and will modern auto loaders with alloy receivers and plastic parts be around in 100 years. Probably not, but, that does not take away the fact that the modern auto loaders are superior in design and function. And quite frankly in a hundred years there will be designs available that will be superior to our current modern autoloaders. This is all just my opinion and I guess I am intitled to it. Rant over, thank you all for allowing me on the soap box.
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Be real. In 100 years, man will not own guns. We may not be here at all. We are living the movie Idiocracy right now. Shoot whatever the hell u want!
 
Mercy, Labra! What a pessimist you are, on this last day of 2023! Until that time when Man will not own guns, I have a few reflections on the ones I own:

I have always loved (lusted!)after Browning shotguns. Consequently I have several: A new(er) A5 Sweet 16, with which I shot a number of roosters this season; an A5 12 gauge in Mossy Oak Shadow Grass which is my duck/goose gun, a Belgian Auto-5 Sweet 16, mod choke vent rib round knob, a Belgian Sweet 16 with vent rib and IC choke, hardly used. And also two Belgian 20 gauge Auto-5's--a vent rib, IC choked round knob gun from 1965 and a vent rib, cylinder choked gun from 1971. I did buy a 20 gauge Superposed two years ago from a friend--shot a 25 straight at skeet with it, and put it away.
These guns were marvelously made and they handle and shoot like it. I wouldn't trade or sell any of them because they are mechanical works of art. And if any of you disagree, I don't really give a shit. They will be shooting strong 60 years from now for my son and his daughter.
I also have a 6 month old 20 gauge Beretta A400 with kick-off. It's a shooter too and I like it; shot a straight with it yesterday in fact.
I bought the above to hunt birds and break targets and to shoot as long as I can; since I'm almost 72, don't know how long that will be.
I intend to enjoy them while I can. But there is always room for a well made, balanced bird gun, whatever make. Happy New Year to all.
 
Im just callin how I see it! Speaking of Superposed, local gun store had one recently that was full over full, serial number was from early 50’s. Very used, dropped right open. For the use its had, it was in decent shape. Felt great. 600 bucks. I left, went back a few days later-gone. Same happened with a Browning Gold Fusion. Im starting to lust after shotguns more than I ever have.
 
Wolfchief, John Browning was an incredible inventor. I have a 1953 A-5 16ga (Not Sweet) straight pipe full. Any idea of value?? Belonged to my late Uncle and probably will never shoot it, as have 20ga options. All my upland hunting is 20ga for >55 years. Happy New Year!! Gotcha by two years and three knee replacements. Enjoy every day
 
The first shotgun I got when I got a full time job was a Japanese A5, 12 gauge. I don't use it much anymore but I keep it because it was my first real shotgun. The only 20 gauge I own is a short barreled, Japanese A5. I bought it in a gun shop in Oklahoma City. Great for hunting grouse and rabbits and I remember seeing it on the rack in the store. Not that it's special but I'm glad I bought it because I haven't seen one like it since. The last shotgun I bought was a Belgian A5 16 gauge. My Belgian A 5 is like a 66 Corvette. Chunky but sexy. Real steel. Mint condition. Made by a craftsman. I smile every time I pick it up but I like it so much I have to be careful with it.

My daily driver is a Benelli UL 12 gauge, w/aftermarket chokes. I like the weight of it and I can hunt it hard and not worry about it. Bluing is already a bit boogered up and I don't care. I like having hunting guns I don't have to worry about. I am not a gun collector. I have a 20,16 and 12 gauge shotgun for hunting. I've never thought about which is "better". I like every one of them, though for different reasons.
 
Wolfchief said:
Mercy, Labra! What a pessimist you are, on this last day of 2023! Until that time when Man will not own guns, I have a few reflections on the ones I own:

I have always loved (lusted!)after Browning shotguns. Consequently I have several: A new(er) A5 Sweet 16, with which I shot a number of roosters this season; an A5 12 gauge in Mossy Oak Shadow Grass which is my duck/goose gun, a Belgian Auto-5 Sweet 16, mod choke vent rib round knob, a Belgian Sweet 16 with vent rib and IC choke, hardly used. And also two Belgian 20 gauge Auto-5's--a vent rib, IC choked round knob gun from 1965 and a vent rib, cylinder choked gun from 1971. I did buy a 20 gauge Superposed two years ago from a friend--shot a 25 straight at skeet with it, and put it away.
These guns were marvelously made and they handle and shoot like it. I wouldn't trade or sell any of them because they are mechanical works of art. And if any of you disagree, I don't really give a shit. They will be shooting strong 60 years from now for my son and his daughter.
I also have a 6 month old 20 gauge Beretta A400 with kick-off. It's a shooter too and I like it; shot a straight with it yesterday in fact.
I bought the above to hunt birds and break targets and to shoot as long as I can; since I'm almost 72, don't know how long that will be.
I intend to enjoy them while I can. But there is always room for a well made, balanced bird gun, whatever make. Happy New Year to all.
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Browning guy, I am as well.I like the pre 1960.I also like beretta ou.
 
Wind, I'd send you a pm but don't know how. In general, value depends greatly on condition--of bluing, stock, etc. Sweet 16's are more desirable than basic 16's. The Sweets had a gold trigger. Again in general, original condition is higher value than one with modified or after-market "improvements". Vent ribs, if original, add to value and smaller gauge, open-choked Auto-5's, in my experience (say, IC or Cyl) and 20 gauge, bring more at resale. The older Auto-5's can sometimes exhibit cracking or "crazing" of the finish which of course detracts from value. Round knob guns are more attractive to some buyers. I've often thought it's a shame that Browning didn't come out with a small frame 28 gauge Auto-5--but I imagine that the 3/4 ounce payload would not have reliably cycled the gun's long-recoil action. Checking the "sold" stats from GunBroker could give you an idea of value too.
 
Goosemaster said:
Browning guy, I am as well.I like the pre 1960.I also like beretta ou.
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What's the difference in a pre 1960 Sweet Sixteen and one from say 1960-1969??? Nothing that I'm aware of.
 
In these guns goose is talking about its all about the hand finishing. Also quantity of choice walnut for stocks was much greater back then, so the wood tends to be nicer. That old world craftsmanship, hand checkering, inleting of the stock to fit receiver. No work done by lasers or robots. Just a perfect John Moses Browning design put together by true artisans at their work benches. Not to mention a gun of the Era goose mentioned, to see what they have seen? The stocks well stained by sweat, carried countless miles across the highline prairies. Long days carried over the hills and down through the draws. In the cattail marshes and thick swamps. These were the guns men carried in the halcyon days and years after WWII. These old guns have done it all. These old guns have soul.
 
Bob Peters said:
In these guns goose is talking about its all about the hand finishing. Also quantity of choice walnut for stocks was much greater back then, so the wood tends to be nicer. That old world craftsmanship, hand checkering, inleting of the stock to fit receiver. No work done by lasers or robots. Just a perfect John Moses Browning design put together by true artisans at their work benches. Not to mention a gun of the Era goose mentioned, to see what they have seen? The stocks well stained by sweat, carried countless miles across the highline prairies. Long days carried over the hills and down through the draws. In the cattail marshes and thick swamps. These were the guns men carried in the halcyon days and years after WWII. These old guns have done it all. These old guns have soul.
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Very good analysis. I had a 1969 a5 12 guage mag. It was not as well made as the 50s guns.
 
Goosemaster said:
They changed the grip and the wood isn't as good. Not as well made.
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Browning didn't change from the round (POW) grip to the flat grip until 1967.
 
New guns if you buy a good one do have the advantage of advancement, which usually means simplification of design. Think of the original superposed vs. the modern citori. I have only owned new shotguns and they've all been pretty good. That said I don't see any major advancement in things like barrels when comparing old Belgian brownings, wingmasters, model 12s, 1100s, etc. Side by sides were perfected in the early 20th century with no real improvements since, as far as I've read. My great grandpa had a superposed that he hunted everything with. Passed it on to my grandpa who sold all his guns after his kids grew up. Wish he or my dad would have kept it for me.
 
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